Short story writers receive cash awards

Ambassador Don Mills (left), outgoing chairman of the CBA, Paulette Burnett, awardee, Senator Maxine Henry-Wilson, Minister of Information, Michael Reckord, awardee and Elizabeth Smith, secretary general, CBA.- Justin Whyte

PAULETTE BURNETT and Michael Reckord, both 'highly commended' for their entries, The Auction and Help respectively, in this year's Commonwealth Broadcasting Association Short Story Competition, received cash awards in a short ceremony, held at Terra Nova Hotel, Monday night.

The presentations were made by Ambassador Don Mills, outgoing chairman of the association, who was also guest speaker. In his brief address he praised the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) for its over 30 years of work in the development of the arts, especially in the areas of short story writing and poetry.

According to Ambassador Mills, the CBA, which was established in 1966, also gives assistance in the form of travel grants and established fellowship programmes, which are accessed by various professional organisations throughout the Commonwealth.

In addition to short story writing, the CBA selects books for consideration and brings writers together, Ambassador Mills said. He also told the small gathering the association has recently launched an art and craft and photography competition.

The CBA secretary general, Elizabeth Smith, reported that there were 3,500 entries in this year's competition and 26 of these were packaged for broadcast worldwide. She congratulated Paulette Burnett, a financial consultant and Michael Reckord, freelance theatre and film critic at The Gleaner, for the very high standard of their entries.

The two entries were played from a compilation CD, featuring the voice of Jean 'Benta' Breeze, a Jamaican writer and theatre practitioner living in England.

Organiser of the ceremony, Lois Gayle, was also praised for her professional handling of Monday night's event.

Complimentary CDs of the winning entries were distributed to guests, who were also treated to a sumptuous spread of Jamaican cuisine and drinks.

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